From learning ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi to dancing hula and the clothes and accessories that are worn, Hawaiian traditions are not only felt but also lived, and two women continue to keep a piece of Hawaiʻi alive through their jewelry company, HIE Heirlooms of Hawaiʻi.
Meleana Estes and Noel Shaw are lifelong friends who went to high school together on the island of O‘ahu. Years later, after having kids around the same time, they both wanted to get a Hawaiian heirloom bracelet to honor becoming moms.
“There’s so much tradition and mana that goes into each bracelet when we wear it all the time—it’s like a part of us,” says Meleana.
The Hawaiian heirloom bracelet was first pictured in an 1862 portrait of Lydia Lilʻu Loloku Walania Kamakaʻeha—the future queen of Hawaiʻi. Queen Liliʻuokalani, Hawaiʻi’s last monarch, designed this solid gold bracelet herself, inscribing it with the phrase “Hoʻomanaʻo Mau,” which means “to remember always.” The bracelet signified her royal status, with designs such as fleur de lis, chevrons and kāhili.
Today, Hawaiian heirloom bracelets are typically given on any occasion or significant life milestone, such as daughters turning 16, graduates or expecting mothers. The intricate design, name engraving and solid gold material meant to last lifetimes and be passed down through generations.
Meleana and Noel decided to make their own bracelets after experiencing difficulty in finding the right styles. “We wanted them to look like the bracelets we grew up with. The ones that our grandmas had gifted us,” says Meleana.
They launched HIE Heirlooms of Hawaiʻi in 2023 with the mission of perpetuating the tradition of Hawaiian heirloom jewelry inspired by Queen Liliʻuokalani.
HIE comes from the Hawaiian word “māhie,” which means attractive, distinguished, and dignified.
The team at HIE works together to create jewelry designs and special pieces, taking inspiration from their environment, during travel and reading. They then work with a production manager to bring their vision to life.
“We take our time with things. We don’t just design and go,” says Meleana. “Until it feels ready and aligned with all of us, and it makes our hearts sing, then that product is ready to be launched.”
The jewelry at HIE is made with real 14K gold to ensure durability and be an heirloom that’s passed down through generations. “They’re not meant to be something that’s going to dent,” says Meleana.
HIE’s collection includes gold bangles, bracelets, rings and necklaces. Some pieces were inspired by heirlooms from Meleana and Noel’s families.
For example, the Amelia Ana bangle was named after Meleana’s tūtū (grandmother). She took inspiration from her tūtū’s bracelet and incorporated it into this design, which features detailed etching flanking each side of the name engraving.
All HIE bracelets are stamped with the HIE flower that showcases Hawaiian culture. This flower combines the crown flower, or pua kalaunu, which was Queen Liliʻuokalani’s favorite flower, as well as the English tuba rose, the Queen of England’s favorite flower.
“It sort of melds the inspiration of the style of jewelry, the friendship between the queens, women bonding, women representing each other, and women supporting each other,” says Meleana.
HIE Heirlooms of Hawaiʻi is based on Oʻahu, where their beautiful jewelry can be found in boutiques and at monthly trunk shows. They also travel for pop-ups at resorts along the Kona Coast, Maui and Kauaʻi.
HIE offers a Kamaʻaina program. “The cost of living here is crazy. Hawaiʻi is getting more and more inflated, and we feel that, being born and raised here, we just want to honor the people who actually live in Hawaiʻi day to day.”
Meleana says that through HIE Heirlooms of Hawaiʻi, they have been able to connect with many people, share stories and educate others about the history, culture and traditions of Hawaiʻi through their jewelry.
“It’s about understanding Hawaiʻi's history; it's about understanding the place and being present in a place, and if you want to take something home from that place that has touched you, to me that’s really great,” says Meleana.
Whether it’s a visitor who learned about Hawaiʻi’s history or women on the mainland who recognize the Hawaiian bracelets, this jewelry is truly for anyone.
“It’s meant to be an inclusive brand, and I hope everyone can find something that resonates with them.”
To learn more about HIE Heirlooms of Hawaiʻi, visit HIEHawaii.com.
“It’s meant to be a really inclusive brand, and I hope everyone can find something that resonates with them.”